Israel has no moral or legal standing to recognise Somaliland

The purported recognition of Somaliland by the State of Israel is neither legitimate nor persuasive. It is an act devoid of moral authority, legal grounding, and international credibility, and it risks inflaming regional tensions rather than resolving long-standing political questions in the Horn of Africa.

At the core of this issue lies a fundamental contradiction: Israel itself remains an occupying power. For decades, it has denied the Palestinian people their right to land, statehood, and self-determination, while thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians—women and children included—have been killed under its military operations. A state that systematically violates international law and United Nations resolutions cannot credibly posture as an arbitrator of sovereignty or self-determination elsewhere. One cannot deny a people their homeland with one hand and purport to grant statehood with the other.

Even more troubling is the role of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He is a wanted individual under international law, with an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged international crimes. Several countries, including Canada, have publicly indicated that they would execute the warrant should he enter their territory. An international fugitive, facing grave allegations of war crimes, has neither the moral standing nor the legal authority to confer recognition upon any territory or people. Recognition issued under such circumstances is politically hollow and legally suspect.

The international response further exposes the weakness of Israel’s position. Both the African Union and the European Union have condemned Israel’s purported recognition, reaffirming their commitment to Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This overwhelming rejection underscores a basic truth: Unilateral declarations by an isolated actor do not create states, nor do they override established principles of international law.

Somalia remains a sovereign, internationally recognised state, and no external power—whether Israel, Ethiopia, or even the United States—has the authority to interfere with its unity. History has repeatedly shown that foreign-backed attempts to redraw Somalia’s political map have failed. Somaliland, regardless of internal administrative arrangements, remains a regional administration within the Federal Republic of Somalia, a reality acknowledged by the United Nations, the African Union, and the entire international community.

Claims that dark geopolitical deals—allegedly involving Israel, Ethiopia, and sections of the US political establishment—can manufacture legitimacy are deeply misguided. Sovereignty is not produced through covert agreements or strategic expediency. It emerges from lawful processes, broad international consensus, and respect for existing states. None of these conditions exist in this case.

Any attempt by Israel to establish a diplomatic or ambassadorial presence in Somaliland would be reckless.

Mr Mohamud is a political analyst